His Heart Will Become Her Strength
by Quiet Whisper
Summary: The icy shell surrounding his heart was gone; the source of her strength was stolen on the cusp of victory. Can he become her strength? And in turn can she teach him the meaning of love? Time stretches before them & only they can decide how the story goes
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to the Inuyasha universe save for the plot bunnies and one crazy muse.

**A/N:** alright so I know I still have to finish the epilogue to TPOB but this idea hit me and I just had to get it out- Squishy has been rather insistent on it really and the epilogue (to TPOB) is taking me a lot longer than I thought it would. I want it to be perfect so please bear with me. That and my computer crashed again and I haven't had access to the internet and it's been kind of hard.

I sort of got the idea (a very loose term I use since this is Sess/Kag- but you'll see what I mean) for this from watching the new Inuyasha season known as the Final Act (YES THEY DECIDED TO FINISH THE ANIME BRING IT ON!) the Episode was titled Kagura's Wind and for those of you who haven't seen any of the new episodes you HAVE to check it out. Anywho I hope you like it and just to warn you there are character deaths in the prologue and it starts out kind of weird (well to me at least). Anywho… ENJOY!

Prologue

A heart once so hardened that the barrier surrounding it seemed impenetrable, until one day the death of a mortal child proved that theory wrong; once revived the mortal girl succeeded in spreading the crack until it encompassed the barrier completely.

All it would take is the slightest push and it would shatter; he never thought it was possible but was proven wrong when he watched as the Mistress of the Wind faded before his eyes. He'd tried to resurrect her but his Father's legacy would not heed his wishes and so she died.

After that he tried to harden his heart once more but it proved a fruitless endeavor. What was the point, he often wondered, in having a heart with no one to care for?

True he still had the mortal girl, but his love for her was that of a father for his daughter. It should have been enough but oddly enough it wasn't.

So with his adopted daughter, faithful retainers, and loyal pack beast; Sesshomaru, Lord of the West and great Taiyoukai, wandered the land. What he was searching for he wasn't sure, he only hoped that one day he would be able to find it before it was too late.

"Where are we going today Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked from Ah Un's saddle.

He paused a moment as he pondered her question before putting his nose to the air; after a moment he caught the faintest of scents, and it told him that a battle had been fought and blood had been spilt. Familiar blood, blood he'd sworn to be the one to shed if only to correct an error made well over two centuries ago. "We go east." He said before taking to the sky upon his cloud.

~*~

She'd been created to carry the heaviest of burdens and succeeded only with the strength and love her friends willingly gave in return for her love and trust. Even during the hardest of times she remained steadfast and determined; never allowing her doubts and fears to rule her, nor would she give into weakness.

Sent 500 years into the past to right the gravest of wrongs while partaking in the journey of a lifetime; it seemed nothing could stop them in their quest, but little did she know that even while fate sought to help them, it conspired against them as well.

She didn't learn of fates plan until it was too late to go back and change it; there was no chance to find another way, and as her greatest friend and once love lay dying in her arms after the final battle, she felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

_It wasn't supposed to end like this._ She thought as she held him tightly; the others had already passed into the world beyond and out of all of them, she was the only one to survive. She couldn't understand how such a thing could be possible since she'd been directly in the path of destruction that followed in Naraku's wake.

With her help Inuyasha had been able to administer the killing blow and the completed Shikon no Tama now rested in her palm. They'd succeeded in their quest in the end, but at the cost of so many lives.

"It's… alright, I'm not… afraid to… die." He said softly as his breath rattled in his lungs, a trail of blood resting in the corner of his mouth. "I only… worry about… you."

"Don't worry about me right now; we have to do something to fix this." She whispered through her tears as she tried in vain to stop the bleeding. "I can't lose you Inuyasha."

"Not… much of a… choice." He murmured as he struggled to grip the hilt of his sword, and with her help he was able to grasp it and pull it towards her. "Take it…"

"What? But-"

"Take it." He growled as forcefully as he could before breaking into a fit of coughing. "It will… protect you… since I can't… anymore."

She bit her lip against her words as her tears fell freely down her cheeks.

"Don't… cry… I hate it when… you cry."

"I'm sorry, I can't help it." She said brokenly. "What am I going to do without you?"

"You'll go on… you're… strong." He said as his muscles began to relax. "It'll be alright."

"No it won't, it'll never be alright without you by my side." She sobbed as she gripped onto his haori.

"Keh… silly wench… yes it will… you'll see." He said then struggled to draw in his last breath. "Time's up…"

"No Inuyasha please no, you can't leave me!" She sobbed as she shook him. "Please don't leave me!"

"S…sorry…" He whispered then trailed off as his last breath rattled in his lungs and he went slack in her arms.

"Inuyasha?" She whispered as she searched his eyes for any response, when she received none she began to cry harder than she ever had in her life as she bowed over his broken and lifeless body. "Nooooo."

She didn't know how long she sat there while pleading with him to come back, the only sounds in the near vicinity were those made by her. All around them lie death and destruction, the ground was churned and trodden upon, the grass stained red with all the blood that had been shed this day.

And in the center of it all rested a small crater where the vile hanyou known as Naraku had met his end. But that didn't matter to her anymore, and if she had known they would defeat him at the cost of her friends lives she would have been tempted to let him keep on living.

But it was a selfish thing to think and she couldn't help but berate herself for it, Naraku could have never been allowed to live for if he had, the death toll and destruction would have only gotten worse.

Finally after an insurmountable amount of time, she stirred herself from her melancholy. It was only a matter of time before the scavengers would come out in droves and she'd be damned if she'd let the bodies of her friends be treated as food.

So bearing that in mind; Higurashi Kagome, time travelling girl from the future, reincarnation of the Priestess Kikyou, and Shikon Miko, climbed to her feet and began the gruesome task of burying her friends.

~*~

**A/N:**I know there are going to be a lot of people not happy with the way things ended (i.e. Kagome's friends -Shippo included- dying) but this is the way my muse wanted it, but don't worry i promise they will not be forgotten and I didn't do this just to get Sess/Kag together, i guess the only thing i can see is if you keep reading you'll figure that out. Anywho thanks for tuning in!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

By the time he arrived at the scene of battle, while his pack waited at a nearby camp, it had been done with for some time; Sesshomaru frowned as he gazed at the carnage before him, there were numerous bodies that no doubt belonged to the youkai Naraku had summoned to his side.

_But where are Inuyasha and his pack?_ He wondered absently as he did another sweep, and that was when he saw them. Five freshly dug graves had been placed along the forests edge and at the head of each was a crudely made wooden marker.

He didn't need to see them clearly to know just who lie in those graves, but the question was who had dug them and where was that person? Deciding he needed to know more about the situation, Sesshomaru picked his way across the bloody battlefield to reach the five mounds.

His nose told him it had only been a matter of hours since the graves had been filled, the scent of fresh soil was still fresh and blocked every other scent for the moment. It didn't matter though for the names of those resting in the graves had been carved into each marker; and when his eyes came to the name belonging to the half-breed he'd vowed to kill, he was rendered immobile.

When the shock that Inuyasha was dead registered fully he scanned the markers once more and discovered just who it was that had buried them. _It was the Miko Kagome._ He thought as he shifted his gaze to the surrounding area, only silence and the torn field greeted him and once more he put his nose to the air.

He couldn't pick up her scent, but he was able to pick up the scent of her blood. _So she'd been wounded as well in the battle, it must not have been__ too serious considering she is__ now traveling towards some unknown destination. _

Knowing that Kohaku would see to the safety of his ward he took off in the direction the Miko had gone; he wanted to know just what had happened and why the half-breed was dead.

~*~

Once she'd finished burying her friends, she'd picked up what remained of her gear then set off in the direction of Edo. It was slow going though because she was at the end of her energy and the wounds she'd suffered from slowed her down.

She hadn't even realized just how wounded she was until after she'd finished her task of burying her loved ones. But the fear of youkai attacking her for the completed jewel spurned her into washing up and binding what wounds she could before she began her long trek.

It had already been hours since she'd left the battlefield and just when she reached a field of wildflowers, her strength gave out on her and she landed heavily on her knees. For several moments she simply remained in that position while staring dully ahead of her, it couldn't be later than early afternoon though it felt as if it should be later.

She wasn't sure what happened then, but suddenly she found herself gazing at a pair of white hakama; slowly her tired eyes began their trek upward to take in the yellow and blue obi, armor, long white sleeves with splashes of red with hexagonal patterns and Sakura blossoms, fluffy thing, and finally the face belonging to the person.

By that time she felt as if it had taken her years to get to that point so when she locked gazes with him, she found she was too exhausted to speak.

"Naraku is dead?" He asked as he gazed down at her, a strange look in his eyes.

"Yes." She said weakly.

"What happened Miko?"

"We fought, he died, he exploded, and they died." She managed to get out, _if he wants a more in depth explanation he can wait until I wake up from my nightmare. _She thought dimly.

"And how is it you survived?"

She had to brace herself up with one arm while the other reached under the collar of her shirt to pull the completed Shikon no Tama free. "Someone has to protect it." She murmured.

"Why did you not wish them back?" He asked curiously.

"Because that would be selfish," She said softly as she tucked the jewel back under her shirt.

"That is the Fang of Earth." He noted as he shifted his gaze to her other hand.

"Please… don't take it… it's all I have left." She pleaded as fresh tears sprang up.

"I no longer have any use for such a blade." He said as he rested his hand on one of the two hilts sheathed at his side.

"Thank you."

"How badly are you wounded Miko?" He asked as he made a show of looking her over, as always she was dressed strangely but it was not in the ridiculous green and white kimono she'd usually worn. Instead she wore strange hakama that fit almost like a second skin and a while haori that had no folds and was much to short in the sleeves.

"I'll heal in a few days." She shrugged slightly.

"And where are you headed?"

"Edo," She said then bit her lip as another wave of sadness overtook her. "I have to tell Kaede about what… about what happened."

"I see." He said before turning his gaze to the east.

Kagome watched him with heavy eyes for a moment before sighing and shifting. "Well I suppose I better get going, I can't just sit around all day."

He turned his gaze back to her and watched as she struggled to rise; he was only mildly surprised to find she was able to climb to her feet, but once on them it was apparent that she was in no condition to travel.

It was then she gasped before looking down at her midsection, his eyes shifted involuntarily and that was when he spotted the blood. She was injured worse than he thought and it was a wonder she'd managed to get as far as she had.

"Funny, it wasn't that bad earlier." She muttered before wavering slightly.

"You are not well enough to travel Miko." He stated.

"It's alright really." She said softly as a slight breeze tugged at her raven strands. "It's no big deal."

He barely heard her as he watched the wind pick up slightly to circle around her in the strangest of ways while it barely brushed against him. And for a second he thought he caught another scent upon the breeze, but it was gone before he could be sure.

"Maybe I'll just rest for a bit longer." She said softly before closing her eyes as she started to fall backwards.

But just before she could hit the ground, Sesshomaru acted and moved to catch her. He didn't know why he was bothering with the half-breeds wench but for some reason he felt compelled to do so.

And once she was cradled in his arms he looked down to find a slight smile resting on her lips as she gave into unconsciousness with a sigh.

_Ridiculous,_ He thought as he took to the sky and headed in the direction of his camp. _I will see to her wounds then send her on her way; after all I have no obligation to her, nor do I have the time to deal with this._

But even while he thought of sending the Miko on her way once she was fit, his grasped tightened around her in an almost protective manner.

~*~

She knew she was dreaming the moment she saw them, and from one breath to the next she hoped with every fiber of her being that she wouldn't wake up ever again.

"Oi wench, stop gaping like that." Inuyasha said with a grin. "You're going to swallow a bug or something."

"Inuyasha be nice, this has to be hard on her." Sango chided as she smacked him upside the head.

"I'm dead." She said as she continued to stare at them.

"Nah you aren't dead." Her oldest friend and companion said with a sad smile. "You're only dreaming."

"Well then if this is just a dream, please don't make me ever wake up." She said as fresh tears sprung up.

"Hey." Inuyasha said as he moved to hold her. "No tears huh? This is supposed to be a happy moment."

"Oh Inuyasha how can it ever be happy?" She sobbed as she clutched onto his haori. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

"I know Kagome." He murmured as his grip tightened. "But what we want and what happens can be different things, and I know it's hard but you'll get over it one of these days."

"What if I don't want to?" She asked softly.

"You will, even if you don't want to." He said then sighed. "Look we don't have much time, but there are some things we have to tell you."

"A…alright," She said as she reluctantly pulled away to gaze up at him. "What is it?"

"We're afraid it's going to be some years before you can join us Lady Kagome." Miroku said apologetically.

"What!" She exclaimed. "But-"

"It's the Jewel Kagome." Inuyasha said sadly. "It needs to be protected."

"But-"

"Even if you make a pure wish on it, the jewel will not vanish as we thought it would." Sango said softly. "And while the souls of Midoriko and the youkai she fought will be laid to rest, it will still hold its power."

"It's because we let Naraku complete it before we killed him." Inuyasha explained. "In that last moment he transferred all of his power into the Shikon."

"What does that mean?" She asked as she looked from one to the other.

"It means that you must make the wish." Miroku said. "You have to put those souls to rest before Naraku can gain the upper hand and defeat them both."

"Then what will happen?" She asked as she turned her gaze back up to Inuyasha.

"You will be given a choice." He said softly. "If you choose wrong then Naraku will break free once more and he'll destroy the world."

"I don't understand."

"Listen Kagome, we know you want to be with us and hell we wish you could be here to, but it has to be this way." He said. "When you make the wish Midoriko will come to you and offer you two choices, you must choose to protect the jewel… no matter what."

"With your purity Naraku will soon lose grasp of what remaining power he has." Sango said. "It's going to take time, and it's going to be a long road, but it will be worth it in the end."

"There's also something else you should know." Inuyasha said. "Even with your protection, the jewel will still call out to youkai. You need to learn how to protect yourself Kagome, and you need to learn how to use the Tesseiga."

"You guys aren't making any sense." She shook her head.

"Don't worry; you'll understand it all before long." He promised. "Just make the wish when you wake up, there could be trouble if you wait any longer than that."

"Okay." She said softly.

"That a girl." He grinned approvingly then sobered. "We don't have much time left."

"Then let's spend it together." She said softly as she gazed at all of her friends.

"You've got it wench." He grinned before tugging her to where everyone else sat, Shippo and Kirara wasted no time jumping into her lap as each of them took turns telling her how much she meant to them and they promised to always watch over her.

And just before it was time for her to go, another joined them.

"Kagura." Kagome said as she blinked up at her.

"Hello Kagome." She said with a soft smile. "I wonder if I might talk to you for a minute."

"Don't listen to her Kagome." Inuyasha growled as he glared at the wind youkai.

"Inuyasha hush, you know this is the way it's supposed to be." Sango chided before nodding to Kagome. "It's alright Kagome, don't mind him."

She spared a confused glance at her hanyou companion, but he'd already averted his gaze. "Alright Sango," She said as she stood and followed Kagura off a ways. "What is it?"

"I need you to do something for me please." She said once she'd turned to face the young priestess. "While I was the first, you will be the one."

"Eh?" She asked intelligently.

"Trust Sesshomaru Kagome, he won't let anything happen to you and he will become you're strength." She said then smirked. "I can't guarantee it will always be easy going, but once you realize what I'm talking about it, it will be easier."

"Now I'm really confused." She groaned.

"I know and I'm sorry about this, but this is the way it is." She said.

"It's alright." She sighed. "I'm sure I'll get it all figured out someday."

"You will, now I need you to promise me something. Promise you won't tell him about this." She said. "This is something he doesn't need to know and it will only make things worse."

"Alright, I promise."

"Thank you. Take care Kagome and please keep an eye on him for me, Kami knows for as intelligent as he is, he is still bound to make a few mistakes."

"Alright I promise."

"Thank you." She said then glanced over her shoulder. "Go and say goodbye to your friends Kagome, your time is nearly up."

"Will… will I ever see you again?" She asked hesitantly as she bit her lip.

"Silly girl don't you know, I am the free wind." She smirked. "I'm always around, and while you may never see me, you will feel me."

"Okay." She said then hugged her. "I wish…"

"Now, now none of that," She said as she returned the hug. "Save your wishing for the jewel."

"Okay." She sighed as she stepped back. "Well I guess I'd better go now."

"Yes." She said as she gave her a gentle push. "Run along now, live your life Kagome and be happy."

"I'll try." She waved then headed over to her friends to say her final goodbyes. "I don't suppose I'll ever get to see any of you again?"

"You will." Miroku promised.

"It's just going to be some time." Sango said lightly. "Think of it as an extended vacation from the norm."

"That's just it though; I don't want to take a vacation." She said as she cuddled the kitsune in her arms.

"Don't worry Kagome, it'll be alright." Shippo promised as he clung to her. "We'll see each other again."

"Alright." She sighed.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something then shifted his gaze over her shoulder a moment before turning back to her. "Alright, it's time. You have to go back."

"Okay." She said softly as she hugged the kit once more before moving to hug her other friends.

"And remember, we'll be watching over you." Miroku said.

"Just so long as it's not all the time huh? I really don't feel like having you watch me in my bath pervert." She said teasingly while trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Don't worry Kagome, I'll take over then." Sango promised while eyeing the blushing monk.

"Thanks." She said gratefully then sobered as she looked at each of them. "Well I guess this is it then."

"Yeah, but only for now," Inuyasha promised. "It's time to wake up Kagome."

"I don't know if I can." She said softly, now that time was up she wanted nothing more than to stay right where she was.

"Sure you can, you can do anything if you put your mind to it." He said reassuringly. "Just close your eyes Kagome."

She fought against it for a moment, and then before she knew it they grew so heavy that they closed on their own. And just before the dream faded completely she heard their voices join together as one. _"We love you Kagome."_ And just like that they were gone once more.

~*~

**A/N:**ugh this was kind of hard to write because I got all blubbery at the end, I know it's simple and probably not as expressive as it could be, but this was how I felt it needed to be. So anywho here's chapter one, let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Returning to the waking world was almost surreal for her, and for a moment she fought the urge to open her eyes while willing herself to return to the dream. But the dream was out of her grasp and soon it faded completely as the pressing urge to see what was going on around her soon overrode everything else.

Finally she gave in and slowly opened her eyes to find a ceiling of stone stretched out above her. "Ooh." She moaned softly as the rest of reality came crashing in to shake off the last dregs of slumber.

"I think she's awake." A voice said softly.

She frowned in confusion at that before turning her head slightly to find two faces peering down at her; she blinked a few times to clear her eyes before looking back up at them. "Kohaku." She said softly.

"Hello Kagome-chan, how are you feeling?" He murmured; the unshed tears in his eyes were visible even in the dim light of the fire.

"I feel like I've been hit by a bus." She groaned.

"What's a bus Kagome-chan?" The girl sitting next to Kohaku asked.

"Never mind," She sighed as she slowly brought a hand up to run over her face. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"For two days now." Kohaku said softly.

She froze in her movements then frowned before sighing as she reached out to take his hand. "I'm sorry Kohaku."

"It's alright Kagome-chan, it wasn't your fault." He said.

"I know." She murmured. "If it helps any her last thoughts were of you and she told me that if I ever ran into you I was to tell you that she'd be watching over you and she wanted you to live a full and happy life."

"Thank you Kagome-chan; that does help." He said as he sighed in relief.

"I'm glad." She offered a small smile.

"Would you like to sit up Kagome-chan?" Rin asked.

"Yes please." She said and with their help she managed to struggle into a sitting position, her stomach muscles protesting at the movement. She frowned as she felt the bandages before doing an internal scan to find her wounds were nearly healed. "Where am I?"

"We're in a cave that Sesshomaru-sama found." Kohaku said.

Kagome blinked at that before looking around the decently sized cavern to find the youkai in question was nowhere to be found. "Where is he?"

"He went to get some herbs for your wounds." Rin said. "Don't worry Kagome-chan; Sesshomaru-sama will be back soon."

"Alright," She said before glancing around to find to find her beat up yellow pack and Inuyasha's sword resting next to her. "Is there a spring nearby?"

"This is a limestone cavern which means there's a spring in the back of it." Kohaku said. "It's cold though."

"Well that's better than nothing." She said as she felt her hair to find it was in need of a good washing. "I think I'd like to get cleaned up."

"Alright but be careful, you're still not fully healed." Kohaku said as he climbed to his feet to offer her a hand.

"I will." She promised as she took it and with his help managed to climb to her feet, it was slow going in getting back to the spring since her strength was useless and once they were there she sat on a flattened rock while Kohaku got a fire going.

"Alright just call when you're done." He said before heading back to the front of the cave while Rin remained behind to help her.

It took a bit of careful maneuvering to get out of her clothing and instead of climbing into the cold water she wrapped a towel around her midsection and sat at its edge to give herself a sponge bath.

"Would you like for me to help you with your hair Kagome-chan?"

"Thanks Rin-chan, I don't think I could manage it by myself." She said gratefully.

About a half hour later she was clean and digging around in her pack for something to wear.

"Here, Sesshomaru-sama brought this and said it was more appropriate than your clothing." Rin said as she held up a folded bundle.

"No doubt," She muttered then offered a smile of thanks as she took the bundle to find it consisted of a under yukata, kimono, and obi. The yukata was white while the Kimono was a soft blue with a crane pattern and the obi was a darker blue. "It's beautiful."

"Sesshomaru-sama is good at picking out kimono despite the fact he's a boy." Rin giggled.

Kagome laughed softly at that as she donned her last clean pair of underwear and bra before pulling the yukata on. "Well your Sesshomaru-sama has impeccable tastes I'm sure considering he's a lord."

"Yes he does and the kimono matches your eyes perfectly." Rin said as she helped her to pull it on before folding the collar, left over right.

Kagome blinked in surprise as she gazed down at the kimono a moment before shaking herself and holding the kimono in place as Rin tied the obi. "Thank you for your help Rin-chan."

"You're welcome Kagome-chan." She said as she started toweling Kagome's hair before brushing it. "There, you look pretty Kagome-chan."

"Thanks." She said gratefully.

"Wait here while I go get Kohaku-kun."

"Alright," She said as she settled herself a bit more comfortably in front of the fire, once Rin had gone she reached behind her neck to pull a small braid over her shoulder. Two of the strands were black while the third was white and she had to bite her lip to keep the tears from flowing.

Inuyasha had had a similar braid, but two of his strands had been white while the third was the inky black of her hair. It had been Kagome's idea to swap locks of hair, telling him it was what friends and loved ones in her time did. He'd scoffed at the idea before wandering off; but later on that night and when everyone but the two of them had gone to sleep, he sat next to her and held up several strands of his hair.

She'd never smiled so much in her life as she took those strands and braided them with her own before asking him to help her cut some of her hair, once it was done she'd helped to braid the raven lock into his hair. They'd put them at the nape of their necks so that they wouldn't be visible to the others and Kagome swore him to secrecy, telling him it would be their secret.

She sighed as she undid the braid then quickly redid it and tied it off before putting it under her hair once more.

"How are your wounds Miko?"

She eeped as her head whipped around to find Sesshomaru standing in the entrance, placing a hand over her heart as she scowled at him. "What are you trying to do? Kill me?"

"If I had wanted you dead then you already would be." He said pointedly.

"Right," She muttered then sighed as she shook her head. "I'm fine, they're nearly healed."

"And the bandages?" He asked as he approached the fire.

"Rin helped me replace them after I washed up." She said. "Thank you for going to get the herbs but they won't be necessary."

"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow as he came to a stop.

"Yeah I have some medical supplies in my pack." She said as she gestured to the yellow monstrosity sitting next to her.

"I detected no scents indicating there was anything medicinal in your pack Miko." He frowned slightly.

"That's um… because they are things from my home." She said slowly. "We use different things to heal people than you do here."

"Hn." He grunted then arched an eyebrow when her stomach growled.

"Oh um I guess I might be hungry." She said sheepishly as her cheeks reddened in a blush.

"No doubt," He said and for a moment she could have sworn he was amused.

Shaking it off, she grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It is of no matter." He said as he offered her a hand. "Come."

Once again she had to shake herself free of surprise before hesitantly resting her hand in his, gasping softly as he easily pulled her to her feet. _Well duh he's got like super strength you baka._ She chided herself as she grabbed her pack then slowly started making her way towards the front of the cave.

And while he offered her no assistance, he remained by her side just in case she were to lose her balance or grow too weak.

"Um, thank you for helping me out." She said softly as they walked. "I'm sorry if I've held you back from your business."

"There was nothing pressing that required my attention."

"Oh, okay." She said then bit her lip. "So what are you going to do now that Naraku's dead?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead." He said after a moment. "I didn't think the half-breed capable of defeating him and resolved to do it myself."

"Please, don't talk about him like that." She asked softly. "It's not polite to speak of the… the deceased in such a way."

Sesshomaru couldn't help but blink in surprise as he looked down at her to find her eyes were made brighter by the unshed tears that pooled there. "It is a statement of fact Miko."

"Even so, there's more than the matter of lineage that makes a person." She murmured. "Yes Inuyasha was hanyou, but he was so much more than that to. And now he's even more than before, because he's a hero now."

"A dead hero." He said pointedly.

"Nevertheless, he's still a hero."

"Hn." He grunted as they exited the tunnel and emerged into the front of the cavern.

"Kagome-chan come and sit, Kohaku-kun caught some fish." Rin said when she spotted them.

"Great." She smiled as she moved to join them, once she was seated on her sleeping bag she glanced over to find Jaken tending to Ah Un while muttering something about stupid humans under his breath.

"Kagome-chan, what do you plan on doing once your well again?" Rin asked.

"Well I suppose I'll go to Edo." She sighed as she rested her hand on the hilt of Inuyasha's sword. "And after that I don't know… I guess I'll find someone to help me learn how to use this."

"Whoa you mean you want to learn how to use the Tesseiga?" Kohaku asked in surprise.

"Yeah," She sighed as she picked it up to look it over. "I made a promise."

"A promise to whom Miko?" Sesshomaru asked curiously.

She blinked and lifted her gaze to find he'd taken a seat on the other side of the fire. "Inuyasha," She said softly. "He wanted me to learn how to use it so I can protect the jewel."

"But if you make the wish, will it not disappear?" He arched an eyebrow at that.

"No it won't." She murmured as she used her free hand to pull the jewel free of its confinement from under her kimono. "Before we defeated him, Naraku managed to gain a hold of all the jewel shards and completed the jewel. And when he was defeated he forced his soul into the jewel, I have to make the wish tonight to free Midoriko and the youkai she's battled with for so long. If I don't, he will gain their power and return."

"And what happens after you make the wish?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"There will be a choice." She said so softly he had to strain his ears to hear her. "Should I choose wrong Naraku will destroy the world, but if I choose correctly then the jewel will be protected."

"And how do you know this Miko?"

She smiled sadly at that. "I don't know how I know that, but I know."

Sesshomaru remained silent as he studied her; she was different now, changed somehow. He had to admit it was a change for the better being as she seemed more mature and had gotten rid of her irritating attitude. But there was something eerie about the onna as well; it was mainly centered around the fey glint in her eyes that hadn't been there before. And when she looked at things, it was almost as if she were looking straight through them now.

It was unsettling, and confusing to say the least. What had happened to the onna that she would be changed in such a way? She hadn't been that way when he encountered her after the battle; it was as if it had happened while she slept.

"So I guess I'd better get to the wishing." She sighed as she set the sword down and slowly climbed to her feet.

"What about dinner Kagome-chan?" Rin asked.

"I'd like to get this done and over with first, don't worry Rin-chan." She said as she smiled slightly. "It won't take long."

Sesshomaru rose to follow her out of the cave but stopped when she shook her head.

"If it's alright with you I'd like to do this on my own." She said.

"Very well Miko, do not wander far however." He said. "You are still weak and there are youkai in the forest."

"I understand." She smiled and nodded her head before continuing on her way to the entrance.

Sesshomaru watched after her a moment before looking over his shoulder. "Stay here."

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama." Kohaku said.

He nodded once then headed for the entrance to the cave; despite Kagome's request, he was curious to see what would happen.

Kagome sighed as she exited the cave and into the night; as promised she didn't go far, but went far enough to be out of sight of the cave.

Once she stood in the center of a small clearing she removed the jewel from around her neck and held it over her heart. _I guess it's time to find out what my choices are, please let me choose the right one._ She prayed as she closed her eyes.

"I wish…" She started then took a breath. "I wish for Midoriko to emerge victorious in her battle against her enemies, I wish for her soul to find the rest it so richly deserves."

For a single moment, time froze, then in the next breath the very pace of life seemed to quicken and the jewel pulsed. Kagome opened her eyes to find the jewel glowing brightly and an otherworldly silence descended upon the clearing.

"You would use your wish to free me from my self-inflicted prison?" A melodious voice asked.

Kagome raised her head and gasped when she discovered the spirit of Midoriko standing before her. "I… yes I would."

"Tell me why, especially when you could use it to see to the resurrection of your friends?" The spirit asked.

"Because… that would be a selfish wish," She said softly. "And no matter how much I want that, I know it is something I can never have."

"Then you're wish will be granted and know that it is pure." Midoriko said. "And now the time has come for your choice, I'm sure you are well aware that the jewel has now become Naraku's prison."

"Yes." She said. "So what are my choices?"

"On the one hand, there is a Miko you can pass the jewel onto and she will take up the post of its protector." Midoriko said. "But know this, if you should choose that route then Naraku will one day be free again."

"And the other choice?" She asked softly.

"You can take up the task of protecting the jewel yourself, until the day comes that Naraku's power wanes and he is no more."

"If I do that… how long will that take?"

"It will take centuries Kagome."

"But how could I possibly-"

"If you choose this route then you will be given immortality." Midoriko said. "And with that the power to ensure the jewel remains pure. You will cease to age, you will never get sick, and you will heal from any wound- even if it should be a killing blow."

Kagome could do nothing but gape at her.

"You will suffer at times, and yet there will be moments of happiness." She said. "There will be days when you curse this task and want nothing more than to give up, but even at the darkest of times there is always hope."

"I…" Her voice cracked and she swallowed in an attempt to get it working. "Is this the only way?"

"As I've said Kagome, you have two choices." She said. "Give this task to someone else and allow Naraku to be free again, or take up the task of protecting the jewel yourself to ensure he never rises from the ashes."

She couldn't help but sink to her knees as her strength gave out on her and she was forced to plant her hands on the ground to keep from pitching forward. _I'll never die? But then how will I ever see my friends again? How can I go on without them?_ She thought as her vision began to cloud over with unshed tears. _But how can I give Naraku the chance to be free again? I can't allow that after everything that's happened, and my friends would never forgive me for making a mockery of their deaths._

"Make your choice Kagome, time is running out." Midoriko said softly. "Which will it be?"

"Do you even have to ask that?" She asked bitterly while her tears broke free to wind down her cheeks. "I would rather die a thousand deaths than allow Naraku to gain his freedom, and my friends would never forgive me if I let something like that happen."

"Then you choose to become the jewels protector until such a time that it is no longer a threat?"

"Yes." She whispered as she bowed her head.

"Then it is well, once more you have proven yourself to be a creature of purity." Midoriko smiled sadly. "Take heart Kagome, it will not all be bad and you will see your friends once again."

"A…alright."

"But I feel I must warn you, there will be those who will heed the jewels call and seek to take it from you so that they might control the power within." She said somberly. "You must learn how to defend yourself to ensure that doesn't happen and if the jewel is taken from you, you must get it back as quickly as possible. You're purity will ensure Naraku's containment when not in your possession, but it will only last so long."

"I understand." She murmured.

"Then it is well." She said. "And I know it may not seem much to you right now, but I thank you for giving me my freedom."

"You're welcome."

"Now rise Kagome and give me your hand." She said as she held out her hand.

Kagome scrambled to her feet then hesitantly held out her hand, the moment her skin came into contact with Midoriko's spirit she cried out as the jewel flared before sinking into her chest.

"You are one with the jewel now, and as such you are immortal." Midoriko said as her form began to fade. "Take heart Kagome, and everything will be all right."

Kagome dropped to the ground once more as the spirit vanished completely, for several moments all she could do was stare at the ground as the implications of the choice she'd made swam circles in her mind.

So consumed with the gravity of her decision, she didn't realize Sesshomaru was there until he spoke.

"Why would you choose such a fate for yourself Miko?" He asked curiously as he looked down at her.

"Because…" Her voice cracked again and she cleared her throat. "Because this world has suffered enough at the hands of Naraku, and I will not let my friend's deaths be in vain. This was my task from the very beginning and I could never forgive myself if I failed to see it through to the end."

"Hn," He mused as he pondered her words, "How curious."

"What's so curious about it?"

"I did not think you had it in you to choose as you did."

"Just because I'm a human and less than you in your eyes does not mean I'm weak." She snapped as she pushed herself into a sitting position to scowl at him. "Or have you forgotten so quickly that it was me who was able to pull Tesseiga from its pedestal and not you or your brother?"

He narrowed his eyes at her as a slight growl escaped from his throat. "You would do well to remember with whom you are speaking Miko."

"Oh I know exactly who is it I'm speaking to Sesshomaru." She said as she climbed to her feet and glared at him. "You are so wrapped up in yourself that you could never understand my reasons as to why I chose to carry out this task by myself."

"Oh I don't?" He arched an eyebrow then smirked, and not in a pleasant way. "Then enlighten me Miko."

"I chose to do it because no one else can." She said. "That and no one else deserves to be burdened with such a task, the people of Japan have suffered enough because of this jewel and if I have to carry it until the end of eternity then so be it."

"Foolishness," He snorted.

"Maybe to you but I understand something you don't."

"And that would be?"

"Love Sesshomaru, the real reason I do this is because of the love I have for my friends." She said softly then watched as he blinked in surprise. "If I had chosen to leave this to that other Miko then Naraku would be able to break free and everything we have suffered through would be pointless."

His gaze shifted away from her as he thought on those who had suffered such a cruel fate at the hands of the vile half-breed. _She is right, if Naraku were to ever break free again then the sacrifices of so many would have been for nothing._

And as if his very thought had conjured it, a slight breeze wove itself through the trees to dance around them; Kagome blinked at that then her gaze softened as she studied him. "Maybe you really do understand where I'm coming from on this."

He slanted his gaze toward her in confusion. "Explain yourself."

"Never mind," She shook her head and avoided his gaze. "It's nothing."

He frowned at that then noticed she'd crossed her arms over her chest and had begun to shiver. "You are not yet fully recovered and you are cold."

"Actually I'm feeling a lot better." She said in surprise. "But I am a little cold."

"Then let's return to the camp."

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea." She said as she turned on her heel and started in the direction of the camp.

Instead of following her however; he remained rooted to his spot as he watched after her, mesmerized by the way the wind seemed to make her hair dance all on its own.

"Hey are you coming or what?" She stopped and turned when she realized he wasn't following her.

"I'll be along in a moment." He said as he shifted his gaze to stare at a random point in the forest.

"Oh, alright then." She smiled slightly at him then continued on her way, leaving him to ponder whatever it was he pondered.

~*~

**A/N:** I know, i know the whole immortality thing is so cliche but it had to be done and you'll see why in up and coming chapters. So hang in there I promise it'll get more interesting!


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The next day Kagome's wounds had healed completely and her strength had returned to her, leaving her free to get ready to head to Edo.

"Thanks again for your help." She said to Sesshomaru as she finished packing up her things.

"You would leave so soon Miko?" He asked.

"I'm sorry but I have to get to Edo." She said. "Besides I'm sure you have more important things to do rather than sitting around in a cave with me."

He cocked his head to the side as he pondered that. "We will take you to Edo."

"We will milord?" Jaken squawked in surprise before cowering as Sesshomaru glared at him. "Forgive me milord."

"Thanks but that really isn't necessary, Edo isn't more than a few days from here. I'll be fine on my own, really." She said as she tucked the sheath of Tesseiga into her obi.

"Nonsense Miko, or have you forgotten so quickly that you possess the Jewel and are unable to defend yourself." He said pointedly.

"I'm not entirely defenseless you know." She said as she held up her bow. "I still have my powers and I know how to make a purifying barrier."

"Nevertheless I am not willing to take the risk." He said.

She bit her lip against the retort that wanted to break free of her mouth, _and besides with his help you will get there faster. Not only that you made a promise._ She frowned at that thought. _Just what was the promise and when did I make it?_

She got the distinct feeling something had happened while she slept the other night but couldn't for the life of her remember what it was, it was frustrating because she felt something important had happened. Along with that there were things she seemed to know without ever recalling when she'd been told them.

"What is the matter Miko?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "I just seem to have forgotten something."

"And that would be?"

"If I knew what it was then it wouldn't have been forgotten." She said pointedly.

"Hn," He mused as he climbed to his feet. "Let us leave, Miko you will ride with the children on Ah Un."

"Okay then." She sighed; knowing arguing with him about anything was pointless since he could be just as stubborn as she.

_This is so weird, why is Sesshomaru being so nice to me all of a sudden?_ She thought as she grasped Kohaku's arm so he could pull her onto the saddle behind him. The fact of the matter was she couldn't even begin to understand why the mighty Dai was even helping her to begin with, for so long his hatred of humans and her in particular had been prominent. _Even when we saw him shortly before the final battle his opinion of me hadn't changed, so what's different this time around?_

When no answers were forthcoming she put the thought out of her mind as they left the cave and took to the sky with Sesshomaru flying ahead of them. But as she watched the Dai take a kneeling position on his cloud she couldn't help but cock her head to the side to study him.

_I made a promise that concerns him, and though I don't remember what it was I get the feeling it was really important. That and I'm not really afraid of him anymore._ She realized, sure she hadn't really been afraid of him in the past, but there was always the slightest bit of fear that warned her not to mess with the mighty Dai. _It's almost as if I trust him now._

For his part, Sesshomaru wasn't exactly sure what it was that had driven him into aiding the Miko. At first he'd thought it was because she reminded him of someone else but after that first night he put the thought out of his head; the Miko had always been a unique individual and despite the fact he cared little, he knew of her distaste for being compared to someone else.

He knew not why he was even considering it to begin with, but the thoughts concerning the Miko had been topmost in his mind since he found her so wounded and weak in that field. _She is human and not worthy of my consideration… but nevertheless I have given it to her and I don't know why._

As if unbidden he glanced over his shoulder to gaze at her only to find she was looking straight at him, but by the absent look in her eyes he got the feeling she really wasn't seeing him. It reminded him that she had changed in some way, perhaps even irrevocably and who knew if it was for the better.

_She is immortal now._ He thought as he watched the way her hair swayed in the wind caused by their passing and he noted that it had grown considerably since the first time he'd seen her. In the time she'd been travelling with his brother she'd matured physically as well; the remaining softness of childhood had abandoned her features, leaving her features well defined and rather striking. She was tiny but not in a sickly kind of way, and her porcelain skin was flawless.

It was her eyes though that drew his attention the most; he'd never seen a human with eyes the color of the sky before. Add the shine that occupied them when she was happy and they were the most intriguing eyes he'd ever seen; well they had been before her world was turned upside down, the shine was no longer there and had been replaced with that strange glint that set his instincts on edge.

He shook himself free of the feeling and refocused his gaze to find she'd cocked her head to the side in a peculiar way while continuing to study him. This time though the absent look was gone and he could tell she was really seeing him; he frowned slightly and turned away, berating himself for losing his focus.

The sooner he got the Miko to her destination, the sooner he could be free of her and these frustrating thoughts. And now that Naraku was defeated he could return to the west and begin the task of building his empire.

Thinking on that provided reprieve from the puzzle that was the Miko and took up the rest of their journey to Edo. By the time they came within sight the sun was in the western sky, preparing to rest itself until the next day when it would rise to shine once more.

Kagome's focus turned to the matter at hand as she prepared herself to tell the story of her friend's tragic end to the elder Miko. It was a task she was not looking forward to but knew it could not be avoided; it was strange really, ever since she'd awoke she felt detached from the pain in her heart. It was almost as if someone were shielding her from it; she knew that shield would not last forever and the sooner she confronted it, the sooner she could begin the healing process.

"We are here Miko." Sesshomaru said as they landed on the outskirts of the village.

"Thank you." She said as she shook herself and grabbed her things before leaping off of Ah Un's back.

"Will we ever see you again Kagome-chan?" Rin asked softly.

"Oh I'm sure you will one of these days." She said with a sad smile. "You take care now you hear and try not to drive Sesshomaru to crazy with your pranks."

"We'll try Kagome-chan." Kohaku promised.

Her smile grew and she nodded before straightening and turning to face Sesshomaru. "I owe you a debt for your aid, and I know it may not mean much, but if you ever need the help of a Miko I'll be around."

"Understood Miko."

_Now I really know there's something different about him, in the past he would have snorted and told me that he would never need the assistance of a pathetic human._ She thought as she studied him a moment before offering a tight smile and nodding once. _But then again, I'm sure he likes the debts owed to him be repaid at some point in time._

"Well, see you around then." She said as she shouldered her gear and set off in the direction of the village.

Sesshomaru watched her as she went about her way for several moments before turning and heading in the direction of his lands. "Come, we have much to do."

~*~

Kaede had been overjoyed to see Kagome when she returned, but the joy was quickly replaced by sadness as the futuristic Miko began spinning her tale of the final confrontation with Naraku.

"What do ye intend to do now child?" Kaede asked after the tale was done.

"I want to go home, but I don't think I'll be able to." She said softly.

"Why do ye say that?"

"I don't know; it's just a feeling." She shrugged.

"Are ye going to try anyway?"

She was silent for several moments as she pondered that; on one side she wanted to do nothing more than jump down the well to see if it would work, but on the other she was afraid. "I don't know."

"Give it some time child." The elder Miko said as she patted her on the hand. "Now come it's time for dinner and tomorrow we will begin thy training to ensure ye are able to protect the jewel."

"Right," She said as she turned her thoughts to more important matters. Granted Kaede had been giving her lessons from time to time, she still wasn't familiar with the usage of her powers. And since it would be some time before she could find someone to help teach her the ways of the sword, she would need the power that resided in her soul to help protect the jewel.

After dinner she retreated to the hot spring to take a nice long bath and that was when the shield guarding her from her pain broke. She'd never taken a bath in the spring by herself; always having Sango, Shippo, and Kirara for company. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she brought her knees up to hug them, the forest was silent save for her sobs and the sounds of her tears hitting the water.

Sometime later though the feeling of comfort washed over her and she opened her eyes then gasped before whipping around, hoping the reflection she'd seen in the water had been real and not a dream. But when she spied out the forest beyond her she realized that it had only been her imagination.

_I could've sworn it was real._ She thought as she continued to gaze around, after a moment she gave up and sighed before straightening and gazing back down at the water. She froze then, because once more she saw the reflection; it was the faintest of outlines but there was no mistaking the fact that it was Sango, and the elder girl was resting an invisible hand on her shoulder.

_We'll always be with you._ A voice whispered in the back of her mind, taking a bit of the pain and making it slightly more bearable. She took a deep, shaky breath and nodded slightly as she placed her hand over the imaginary one on her shoulder while the tears continued to fall.

It wasn't what she would have preferred but for the moment it was enough.

~*~

Several days later she worked up the courage to try the well; the pressing need to know finally outweighed the fear of the outcome. So after a goodbye to Kaede and a promise to return if it failed, she shouldered her pack and headed out.

She was wearing her own clothes once again while the kimono Sesshomaru had given her had been washed then carefully placed in her pack. If the well did work she didn't want to show up in the future looking like she'd just returned from the past.

As always the clearing that the well rested in was quiet, and the well itself looked no different than it did every other time she'd been there. She could still remember the time Inuyasha had shoved a tree in it to keep her from returning and after a million sits and a lost voice once she'd returned, he removed the tree and fixed it.

When she reached the side of the well she stood there for several moments while peering down into its darkened depths. Finally after a good half hour of just standing there she climbed onto it and prepared to jump.

"Well, here goes nothing." She muttered before leaping and by the time she'd reached halfway she knew her fears were confirmed, the well would no longer take her home.

Bearing that in mind she managed to land at least somewhat gracefully before sinking to her knees and peering up at the bright sky above her. _I can't go home anymore, I'm stuck here forever._

Despair overwhelmed her then; it would have been nice to go home at least once more to tell her family what had happened. After fifteen minutes of gut wrenching sobs a thought struck her and she managed to pull herself together.

_Midoriko said it would take centuries before Naraku would fade away, and I'm immortal now. That means I'll live to see them again… it's just going to take a really long time._

It was a small comfort, but it was there nonetheless. So with an overused sigh she shouldered her pack and climbed back out; but instead of returning to the village she set off for the Goshinboku, needing the comfort it could offer her just then.

The magnificent tree stood tall and proud as always, its branches swaying gently in the warm summer breeze. She set her stuff off to the side then stepped up to it to rest her hand against the worn spot where Inuyasha had been sealed for fifty years.

"Why did it have to turn out this way?" She asked it softly. "What did we do wrong to have things end so horribly? Weren't we good enough to warrant a happy ending?"

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the trunk; _don't be silly Kagome, there's going to be a happy ending it's just that the story isn't over yet. At least not for you._

She would have been content to remain that way for the rest of the day but fate seemed to have a different idea in mind. She didn't have her senses extended as she should have and her only clue that she was no longer alone was thanks to the twig snapping.

Quick as she could she whipped around while pulling and arrow free of her quiver as she brought her bow up. "Who's there? Show yourself."

"You have the jewel." A voice hissed from the cover of the forest. "Give it to me and I may let you live."

"How about you just give up and go away. If you do _I'll _let _you_ live." She growled as she extended her senses to seek out the oni.

Laughter was the only response she got before the oni struck, too fast for her to avoid in time. She cried out as its claws tore through her midsection, missing the place where the jewel rested by the slimmest of margins.

She hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her as her nerves screamed in pain. Then before she could move the lizard youkai had pounced on her to wrap its slimy hands around her neck.

"You will die." It hissed as its red eyes bore into her.

Kagome struggled for air as her hands frantically searched the area for something to use as a weapon, after a moment and just as her vision began to dim her fingers brushed over the arrow she'd dropped. She scrambled to grasp it while calling on her powers and before the oni could do more than raise its claws to skewer her, she put the arrow point first into its temple and watched as it was purified to ash.

_That was to close._ She thought dimly as she struggled to regain her breath while her body twitched in pain. _So this is it, I don't have any more time to indulge in childish fantasies. I need to learn how to protect myself _now.

Mind made up she struggled to rise and collected her things before stumbling in the direction of the village, the trek was excruciating and only the knowledge that this couldn't kill her kept her on her feet. _I don't have the luxury of being weak, there's no one left to protect me. I have to do this on my own from now on, no matter how much it hurts._

~*~


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

He repressed the long overused sigh that wanted to work its way out of his chest; all around him the world was white thanks to the snow that had fallen the previous night, it was a sight worth admiring espeically with the slight breeze blowing from the west.

Occasionally that breeze would gain strength; sending loose snow to skitter off in the direction of the rest of Japan, or if he believed in such silly things as omens and what not… the wind was attempting to push him in the direction of a certain raven haired, blue-eyed Miko.

_Ridiculous,_ He thought as he turned on his heel to make his way back towards the village his wards were residing in for the time being. He'd last seen the Miko in the mid summer; when they'd dropped her off in Edo, and now it was mid winter.

He had not been idle in those months, but neither had he been able to put the Miko out of his thoughts for long. She was such a curious creature to be sure, and he was stilled puzzled with his actions in aiding her.

Before the final battle and when Inuyasha was alive, they'd been enemies. He supposed he no longer considered her to be one of those since she was no longer in the company of the half-breed; either that or hanging out with tiny humans had warped his brain and he'd simply lost his mind.

He wasn't quite sure what it was, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. Then as if to tell him he did, the wind blasted him with a particularly sharp gust of wind before racing off to the east. He snorted at that then paused when his superior hearing caught the sound of something.

It was very faint and if he had to hazard a guess, the sound was that of laughter. And it seemed to be mocking him; if anything that only served to infuriate him further, and the growl that had steadily been building in his chest finally broke free.

_This is getting old._ He thought as he picked up the pace, the sooner he checked on his wards the sooner he could return to where his ancestral home was currently being rebuilt. That was the one advantage to having servants who were youkai; they could work in any sort of weather, and with their help his home would be restored by summer.

After that all he had to do was strike a few treaties then sit back and tend to his lands. True he'd always walked the path of supreme conquest and he still had intentions in that direction; but certain things in the past had brought about a change in him, and it was no longer an obsession of his.

Perhaps he was simply getting old? He couldn't help but roll his eyes and snort at that, it would be millennia before he could be considered old. So age was not a factor in the equation of his change; nor was the need to rid the world of humans, funny that had always been a goal of his to.

Luckily the village came into sight, allowing him to put the thinking aside. He disliked leaving his wards in the human village but it was necessary to keep them away from the work crews for the time being. After all, not all youkai were as lenient with humans as he now seemed to be, and those same youkai would not hesitate in killing them.

The villagers knew who he was by sight and they treated him with the difference deserving of their Lord; in return for their fealty, he saw to it their village was protected from rogue youkai.

As he headed for the hut belonging to the headman, he couldn't help but catch stray snippets of conversation.

"…And then she purified the lot of them." One of the traders was saying with a mystified expression on his face. "I tell ye I ain't never seen no Miko purify that many youkai at once, and she was wounded no less."

"What happened after that?" One of the farmer's wives asked.

"Why she passed out of course." He grimaced. "The elder Miko of the village said that it was barely a scratch and that she would be up in no time. But I know better, I saw that wound and it was deep enough to expose bone."

"What village was this?" Sesshomaru demanded as he altered course to confront the trader. "And how was the Miko wounded?"

"Why it be back in Edo milord." The trader said with a quick bow. "And the Miko was wounded when a band of youkai attacked the village in search of some sort of jewel."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at that. "Are you certain?"

"Y…yes milord. I just came from there I did." He said. "And while I was there, the folk told me all kinds of stories."

"Such as?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Why they say the village was the starting point in the battle against that evil Naraku, and that the hanyou Inuyasha was pinned to the Goshinboku as a result." He said. "They also say that the Miko that now guards this jewel thingamajig was the only survivor when she and her group defeated the evil hanyou."

"What of the attacks now, was that a common occurrence?"

"Aye by the sounds of it," He shook his head. "If it weren't for that Miko of theirs, that town would have been overrun in a heartbeat."

_So Midoriko was right, the rogue youkai are setting out in search of the jewel._ He thought as he turned on his heel and continued on his way; there was no avoiding it now, as soon as he finished visiting his wards he would set off for Edo. If only to assure himself that the Miko had everything under control, and that she was succeeding in her duty to protect the Shikon no Tama.

~*~

"What a day." She moaned softly as she slid into the water until it was up to her chin; the folds of her bathing yukata floated along the surface a moment then filled with water and slipped under the surface to settle somewhat. "You know if things keep up like this I'll be the reason why there are no more youkai in my time."

Her words were met with silence because there was no one there to respond; well at least no one that was alive at any rate. Kagome cracked an eye open to peer at the surface to find the outline of Sango sitting just behind her once more.

It was only one of many times that she'd seen the outline of the slayer since she'd returned to Edo. Of course the 'spirit' of Sango wasn't always there; but when Kagome had a bad day or the pain had become too much to bear, she would steal away to the spring to find her waiting.

It provided small comfort to her, but with the way things were she was willing to take what she could get. And on particularly bad days Sango would be accompanied by Shippo and Kirara, though their appearances had nearly given her a heart attack the first time.

The season had just turned and the leaves were changing their colors as the temperature had begun to cool. At that point in time, Kagome had been attempting to learn how to gauge just how much power she called, the lessons had been long and a pain in the brain.

Not only that but the attacks by rogue youkai had begun to increase steadily; it had been such a hard day for her first to spend the morning in lessons then to be pulled into battle. If not for her immortality that fight would have surely killed her, as would many others.

She'd been at her wits end and utterly exhausted when she'd retreated to the spring in hopes she could get her wind back only to pick up where she left off. And her prayers had been answered when she caught sight of Sango's vague presence; knowing she would be safe for the time being she settled back and let her tears run rampant.

That was when Shippo had decided to join the party, only at first all she heard was the sound of someone leaping into the spring. Quick as lightning she'd been on her feet and ready to defend herself when the faint laughter of a child had echoed through the clearing and gentle ripples caused by an invisible force danced across the spring's surface.

It took a few moments of searching the reflections in the water until she'd spotted his and she'd broken down in tears once more. Out of everyone who could have survived, it should have been Shippo since he'd stayed out of the battle.

But Naraku was a vile being indeed and he'd sent his assassins in search of the kit; poor Shippo had never stood a chance, and they'd only learned of his plight because he'd had enough strength to drag himself into the clearing where they fought.

Miroku had met his fate thanks to the samiyosho; they were everywhere and he could only hold off using his Wind Tunnel for so long, but their foes numbered among the hundreds and there were no other options. By the time he'd closed it off, he'd sucked enough of the poisonous insects to ensure his demise.

Sango had fallen while protecting him; suffering from a gut wound, she'd managed to crawl to his side and died in his arms. Kirara fell shortly after while trying to protect the both of them.

As for Inuyasha; well he'd taken the brunt of the damage when Naraku had exploded, and he'd died… while protecting her.

"Ah, Inuyasha," She sighed softly as she pulled the braid free from the rest of her hair to run her fingers along it. "Kami it's so hard doing this without the lot of you here. I don't know how I'm going to do this for the next few centuries by my own, Kami I barely have the strength to keep going on as it is."

Once more the feeling of comfort settled around her shoulders; and for an instant she felt as strong as she once had. But the moment was fleeting and just like that all of her doubts, fears, and worries came back.

"You know there's a saying that there's no rest for the wicked… I guess that applies to the kind hearted to." She murmured. "It's kind of stupid if you think about it."

After a moment she decided she'd wallowed in self pity long enough and with another sigh she set about the task of washing up. Thanks to her immortality she couldn't get sick from the cold, but that didn't bar her from feeling it.

"Holy Kami, can it get any colder?" She gasped as she climbed out and quickly made her way over to the fire she'd started before getting into the spring.

As quickly as she could, she wrapped her hair in a towel then changed out of the wet yukata and into her warm Miko garb. Not wanting to waste anymore time in freezing, she put the fire out and grabbed her things then headed for the village.

She made it about thirty feet before a bear youkai crashed through the bramble to block her path.

"Give me the jewel!" It roared.

"Really, if you guys keep this up you're going to become extinct!" She exclaimed as she dropped her bag and knocked an arrow. "And I just took a bath to; do you really think I want to freeze while washing bear guts off of me?"

"Silence yourself Miko before I do it for you." The bear growled as he flexed his claws. "Now give me the jewel."

"If you want it that bad," She said as she began to unleash the bindings that held her power at bay and pulled the string taught. "Come and get it fuzzy."

With a mighty roar the bear leapt at her, he'd made it all of three feet before he was brought up short by the arrow that had implanted itself in his eye. "No-"

"That's what you get for being an idiot." She sighed as her powers did their work and within moments the bear was nothing but ash. She shook her head as she shouldered her bow and picked up her bag then continued on her way to Kaede's hut.

"How are ye feeling child?" Kaede asked as she entered.

"Much better thank you." She said as she set her gear down then moved to take a seat by the fire. "I killed another bear on my way back though."

"My, that's the third bear since winter started." She noted.

"Why can't bear youkai be like normal bears and hibernate for the winter? That's what they do isn't it?"

"Aye but not all animals have a need for hibernation, especially youkai since they possess blood much stronger than even our own."

"Well it's retarded." She huffed then shook her head. "I'm sorry I don't mean to complain."

"Nay child, it's alright." The elder woman smiled. "Ye have had much to deal with as of late. Tell me, any luck in getting the fang to respond?"

"No." She sighed as she looked down at the sword resting next to her; she'd managed to find someone to give her lessons and while they'd been leery about working with a demonic blade, it turned out the fuss was for nothing. The Tesseiga would not transform for her. "Maybe Inuyasha got it wrong and he just wanted me to hang onto it so nothing would happen to it."

"I do not think he would tell ye to learn the way of the blade only to have thy intended blade be worthless to ye." Kaede said. "Perhaps ye might be able to speak to a youkai about it, Sesshomaru-sama maybe?"

"Yeah right I wouldn't even know where to look for him." She said before scrubbing her face with her hands. "And even if he did I'm sure he'd be much too busy with his lands to help me. Oh well at least I don't have to worry about him killing me anymore, kind of hard to do that all things considered."

"Ye bear a great weight upon thy shoulders child." Kaede said softly. "I only wish that I could be of some service in aiding ye."

"You've aided me enough simply by helping me train to gain control of my powers Kaede." Kagome murmured around the lump in her throat. "And besides, it's not that bad."

Kaede knew better than to call Kagome out on her lie; the futuristic Miko had a knack for being stubborn and she hated appearing weak above everything else. _But her strength is waning, she tries to hide it but I can see it. Suffering the loss of her friends was the greatest blow to it; and now that there have been all these youkai attacks… poor girl, if only she had a companion to help her through this. After all, her strength has always come from the love given to her by others._

But there was no one that she could think of that would possess the strength to stand with the Miko in her quest to rid the world of Naraku, unless…

"I think ye should seek Sesshomaru-sama out child; the fang was forged by his father, perhaps he possesses some knowledge on it." Kaede urged.

Kagome bit her lip as she frowned in thought. "Maybe… but I think I'll wait to do any travelling until spring comes. It's been a cold winter and while I can't freeze to death I don't fancy becoming a frozen living statue."

"That's fine, just so long as ye keep it in mind. Until then we can work to finish thy Miko training and ye can get some more lessons from Gin-dono."

"Sounds good to me," She said. "Now I think I'd like to lay down for a bit and get some rest before the next idiot youkai decides it wants to get purified."

"Get some rest child; I will keep my senses about me."

"Okay." She yawned before crawling under the pile of her blankets and once she was settled she gave into slumber with a sigh.

~*~

**A/N:** curse you Naraku for being so cruel!!!! Okay I'm alright, sorry about that, anywho so now you know how the Inu tachi met their ends *sniff sniff*... and you also know how they won't be forgotten *wink wink* anywho hope you enjoyed it please R+R to let me know! Thanks much!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Despite the fact that Sesshomaru had intended on visiting the Miko after he'd visited his wards, a few problems had sprang up to stall him. Between dealing with a nest of beetle youkai that wished to make his homeland theirs, and his servants (who'd suddenly become overly lazy) he'd had no time.

And just when he thought he'd get a chance to go, a blizzard struck and grounded him for another week. So by the end of that month he was irritable and looking for something to vent his anger out on; altogether not a good time to go and visit the Miko, but he wanted to get it over and done with.

He expected the village to be quiet as he approached but was soon proven wrong when he caught the sounds of shouting. Frowning, he picked up the pace and extended his senses to find the Miko was running straight for him.

On the heels of discovering her presence and course, he detected the swarm of youkai that were hot on her trail. _She's leading them away from the village to deal with them._ He thought as he landed in a small clearing and prepared himself for a fight, his blood already heating up in his veins as his heart picked up its pace.

A moment later and he could hear her pounding footsteps as she ran through the forest and right after that, the snarls of power hungry youkai rang through his ears.

The snow must have muted the sounds somewhat because he wasn't expecting her to come crashing through the bramble before turning her fall into a controlled tumble. Nor was he expecting what happened next; without even stopping to notice him, she popped out of her tumble and whirled around to face her enemies while drawing an arrow and bringing up her bow.

From one breath to the next the arrow flared to life with more power than he ever realized she'd possessed and he found he was frozen in place as she loosed it. The resounding wails that came from her prey told them both that she'd succeeded in wiping them out completely.

Once the youkai had been purified to ash, an eerie silence settled around them as she panted to catch her breath without taking her eyes off of the forest she'd just run through. He shifted his gaze to her and watched as her shoulders slumped in either relief or exhaustion; he couldn't say which one it was for sure, but either way it bothered him.

"Miko," He said then blinked as she whipped around; an arrow knocked and aimed right at him, her eyes glowing near white with the power she carried.

It took her a moment to register just it was she was facing; and when she did, she blinked a couple times just to be sure. Once she was sure it was him she sighed as she relaxed the tension on her string and lowered her bow. "You startled me."

"Apparently," He mused as he arched an eyebrow at her. "What are you doing?"

"Oh you know the usual." She shrugged as she climbed to her feet then glanced down at her torn and bloody haori. "Man that's the third one this week."

"How many battles have you fought in Miko?" He frowned as he took in the wound to find it wasn't serious.

"Too many to count," She shrugged as she shouldered her bow. "They've been coming out of the woodwork ever since that blizzard last week."

"I see you've gained control of your powers."

"Yeah and just in the nick of time to," She muttered as they started making their way back towards the village. "It's all I've got to rely on right now."

"What of Tesseiga?"

She put her head down to keep an eye on the ground as she chewed her lip on thought, after a moment she sighed and lifted her gaze to the path before them. "It won't transform for me."

He arched an eyebrow at that. "I thought Inuyasha said that he wished for you to learn how to wield it?"

"He did but… I don't know." She shrugged. "I've been taking lessons on how to wield a sword and I carry it everywhere with me, but it still won't work."

"I see."

"Yeah, actually I was hoping you might be able to tell me something about it."

"You knew I was coming?"

"I didn't have a clue." She said with a wry smile though she didn't look up at him. "I figured I'd have to be the one to hunt you down but planned on waiting until spring for that."

"Then it is a good thing I came to you now." He said. "My vassals do not take kindly to Miko's wandering around my lands."

"Well I figured that much." She said dryly. "But I figured if I waved the Tesseiga around and claimed that I knew you they might have at least brought me to you, or I could've just started purifying them to get your attention."

"You would not have been welcome if you'd done such a thing." He growled.

"Yeah I kind of figured that." She said. "At least your guys aren't stupid enough to come after me, though why that is I'm not quite sure."

"I told my vassals that they would be dealing with me personally if they thought to do something so stupid."

"Providing I didn't purify them first," She said pointedly.

"There is that as well." He said. "The youkai of my lands know you are the Shikon Miko and destroyer of Naraku; and while most of them do not care for humans they have enough logic to respect that you have done away with their enemy."

"Well that's good to know." She said as they broke through the clearing to find the village settling down while a group of farmers with pitchforks waited on the outskirts.

"Lady Kagome." One of them growled while they eyed Sesshomaru.

"You can relax, the youkai are dead and this one isn't here to pick a fight." She said with a barely repressed sigh.

"Remember Lady, ye have two weeks left." Another said while the rest began their trek back to the village while grumbling under their breaths.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten." She said crisply while ignoring Sesshomaru's arched eyebrow.

The first nodded then eyed Sesshomaru a moment more before turning and retreating to the village. Sesshomaru waited until they were well out of ear shot before turning to face Kagome.

"Explain Miko."

"It doesn't matter." She said as she made to head for the village only to stop when he interposed himself in her path; she bit her lip as she lowered her head and looked off to the side.

"You will explain now." He demanded.

"About two weeks ago, the villagers figured out that I'm the cause of all the attacks." She said softly. "They gave me a month to learn the rest of what I needed before I have to leave; if I don't leave they'll tie me up and offer me to the youkai as a sign of peace."

"Ridiculous." He growled.

"Can you blame them? I swore to protect the jewel and keep it from harming people." She said. "By staying here I'm not doing a very good job at that, two people were wounded today because of me."

"Where will you go?" He asked after a moment.

"I don't know." She murmured. "I figured I'd find someplace where there are no people, that way no one will get hurt when the youkai come for me."

"You cannot simply hide out in the wilderness."

"And why not?"

"You are a Miko are you not?"

"Yes but my duty is to see to the protection of the jewel; there are other Miko's who can tend to the people." She shrugged. "Besides I'm… not from these parts, my presence here would end up doing more harm than good."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll explain it later." She said. "I have to go and clean up."

"I am not done discussing these matters with you Miko." He said as his eyes narrowed.

"Fine but can I at least clean up and change, I'm getting kind of tired of bleeding all over the place."

He blinked at that and looked down to find she'd lost a considerable amount of blood while they stood there. "Very well, I will wait by the Goshinboku."

"Thanks." She said before stepping past him and heading for the village.

Sesshomaru watched after her a moment before turning on his heel and heading for the God Tree.

~*~

By the time Kagome appeared at the appointed meeting place, the sun was preparing to set for the day.

"Sorry about taking so long I had a little problem to deal with." She said.

"What problem?"

"Just a couple of concerned farmers," She said lightly; once again she wasn't facing him and instead was looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I see." He said after a moment.

"So what brings you here Sesshomaru?"

"There was a trader telling tales of your battles here."

"Oh so you came to make sure I was holding my own against my enemies?"

"Yes."

"Well don't worry, I have everything under control."

"Your demeanor states otherwise."

She started in surprise before sighing as her shoulders slumped. "I'm still getting used to this alright? It's just taking some time."

"It's more than that Miko." He said as he approached her; noting how she took a step back and turned her head further away. "Look at me."

"Please Sesshomaru, this isn't a big deal." She said as she made to step back but froze when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Look at me now." He growled.

She remained rooted to her spot for a moment longer before sighing and lifting her head. She was a shell of her former self and while she didn't look sickly; she looked hollow, almost like she was simply a body with no soul. The fey look in her eyes hadn't changed; in fact it only seemed to have settled more permanently.

"I'm just tired." She said softly. "And I lost a lot of blood today; I'll be good as new in no time."

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow while wondering if she was saying the words to assure him, or herself. _And while she possesses such power, she is still weakening. Why is that?_

As he studied her, she grew increasingly uncomfortable and started fidgeting. Finally she had enough and dropped her gaze, breaking the tension filled deadlock.

"So everything's alright." She said as she took a step away from him and turned her gaze to the forest. "I'm leaving here in two weeks; I'll probably head south and set up shop in the forest somewhere; no doubt you'll start hearing rumors about some crazy youkai killer, and then soon after that the stories about the forest being cursed by an evil witch will start to circulate. I'm actually kind of looking forward to that, people are superstitious and they'll avoid me which means they'll be safe."

"No."

"Eh?" She asked intelligently as she slanted a gaze in his direction.

"You will not go south." He said. "You will come to the West."

"No." She shook her head. "It's too dangerous for your people, sooner or later the call of the jewel will become too much for your vassals and they'll give into it. I don't want you to end up hating me because I was forced to kill them."

"You think I will not be capable of keeping my vassals in check Miko?" He growled.

"Sesshomaru, not every youkai is as content with their strength and power as you are." She said, surprising him a bit. "It doesn't matter how good of a ruler you are, there will always be those who want more power than what they have. In the end it won't matter; if they think they have a chance of gaining a hold of that power, they will do whatever it takes. I can't allow that to happen."

"But alone you are in even more danger." He said pointedly then arched an eyebrow as she flinched.

For a moment she said nothing; then she shook herself and swallowed. "This is my task, no one else's. And besides, I'm really not so easy to kill anymore. I can handle it, really."

He narrowed his eyes at that a moment then smoothed his features out as a thought occurred to him. _Why am I offering to give her a safe place to reside? She is correct, this task is her own and it is not my place to interfere. Perhaps it is because she is a ninjen and while she is immortal she is still weak, it's only a matter of time before the rogue youkai overwhelm her and claim the jewel._

"So, was there anything else?" She asked, signaling she was done talking and wanted to get away from him.

"You say you are leaving in two weeks?" He asked as a plan began to form in his mind.

"That's right." She said. "There are just a couple more things I have to learn from Kaede and Gin-dono offered to give me a few more lessons in combat. He said for only training such a short time I've managed to pick things up pretty quickly; it's probably because I've seen so much fighting already, it's only natural to start picking things up along the way."

"Indeed." He mused. "Very well Miko return to your business, but first if I might make a suggestion?"

"What is it?" She asked warily.

"As you said you are not a regular Miko and though you are immortal you can still be injured. Perhaps you should start wearing a battle kimono and armor to prevent yourself from gaining unnecessary injuries?"

She rocked back on her heels in surprise then frowned. "Now why didn't I think of that?" She muttered.

"You have had many things on your mind."

"I suppose I have." She mused. "Alright I'll look into it."

"Very well, until next time Miko." And before she could dispute that, he took off leaving her alone next to the Goshinboku.

Kagome sighed and rubbed her forehead a moment before slanting a gaze at the ancient tree. "I wish you were here." She said softly before turning on her heel and heading back to the village.

She knew deep down that Sesshomaru wasn't going to give her two weeks before he decided to come back and drag her to the West; she'd known it the moment he asked her when she was leaving, but for what reason she wasn't sure. He was a Lord and as a Lord it was his duty to ensure his people were safe from harm; taking her to his home was a stupid thing to do, no matter how powerful he thought he was.

_So I have to leave earlier than that, it's the only way to keep him from inviting more trouble to his lands. And once I've left the village I'll conceal my scent and aura; that'll work for a time until I find a safe place to take up residence. Maybe by then I'll have figured out why the Tesseiga won't work for me; and if he finds me and I can prove I'm capable of taking care of myself, he'll leave me alone. _

She couldn't deny it though; even while she made plans to get away before he could come back, a part of her was hoping and praying he'd catch on and come before she did.

~*~

**A/N: **way i finally managed to update! Stupid Squishy has been demanding i work on other projects and it's been frustrating. But finally i get another chapter up for you! SOrry it's taken forever and Happy New Year!!


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